Saturday Night Free For All

Here's a few I'm working on tonight:

Mostly snacks... but a few good ones in there. The Constantine Dafne is a great coin, the Otacilia is nice, the Nerva is ok, the ex-museum piece was just for fun, the Maximinus is from Ostia, there's a Lyons Probus there, a Philip II as Augustus, a nice fallen horseman and a Genio of Maximian that's both perfect and flawed depending on which part of the coin you're looking at.

 

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I have not posted in this thread before, but I really like reading it, and seeing everyone's coins. I thought I'd finally join in, even though its a Sunday morning here...
Lately I've been able to fill some holes in my imperial collection. Not all that much special coins, but nice one nevertheless.

First stop: Geta is Augustus. I really like this one, the adult portrait with beard and noticable friendly look. On the contrary, his brother is depicted on coins like he would have murdered even his own brother. Oh... wait...


Next stop: Severus Alexander, the boy whose grandmother and mother were de facto emperor. Fed up with Severus Alexander's complete lack of military talent and bravoure, the army murdered the emperor and his mother in a military camp in Germany. Thus ending the Severan dynasty, but also initiating an era of utter chaos and in which military soldiers were being proclaimed emperor by their armies one after the other.


Lastly, my first denarius of such a military emperor: Maximinus I Thrax. Proclaimed emperor after Severus Alexander was murdered by the army, he - like all of the soldier emperors after him - was murdered by the army not that long after. In a period lasting 50 years, van Meter counts 34 emperors and at least 50 usurpers.

 

The Constantine Dafne looks very nice indeed, and the museum piece looks great as well. Can we see the other sides?

 

Rome had entered a period where the question arose whether it was better to select the next emperor by blood or by blood-thirstyness. Selecting children gave us Commodus, Caracalla, and Elagabalus. The other route made the mob with swords the defacto rulers until Carus again tried the pick-a-kid method requiring Diocletian to bring some order to the situation. That eventually led to Constantine I who thought his kids could get along and rule well when he was gone. This is the definition of 'slow-learner'. Vespasian was really the only emperor who had a son capable of being emperor and he died too soon. If we accept the theory that Titus' last words "I have made but one mistake" referred to not killing Domitian, we can write off all Roman history to a time when the state would have been better off requiring all emperors to be childless.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titus

Who disagrees? What other biological children of emperors brought honor to the office? Constantius II?

 

I don't think you can say anything bad about Faustina II or Lucilla for which there is good quality historical evidence.

 

Did that one come from Germany?

 

Agreed @dougsmit. One cannot but think, that Romans were destined to follow in the footsteps of their ancestors, Romulus and Remus. Forever hungry to battle over power against their own brothers. Was the period of the 'good emperors' an accidental exception, in that sense? Perhaps, yes, but history caught up when Marcus Aurelius appointed his own son as his heir and thereby dooming the empire.
I am half way through the book by Mary Beard, an beyond interesting book so far!

 

It's not Saturday, nor is it Sunday.... but in times like these, it's hard to even keep track of which day of the week it is. In the last roughly 2 weeks, I've been delivered 5 sestertii (one I posted about already, so will exclude that one here), 2 Alex tets, and 1 denarius that I want to share. But they are sort of a hodge podge of a group, so don't really deserve their own thread, and this is a Free For All, so I'll add them here.

I've been looking for a nice (non-young-looking) Commodus sestertius to add to my collection. I found one and bid a tad bit higher than I really should've, but it was fair market value. When I received it and had it in hand, the corrosion was a bit more than I thought it was based on the seller photos, specially at the bottom of his beard. The reverse is pretty cool though with the coin then having TWO Commoduses for the price of one! It celebrates Decennalia, or ten year vows.


Commodus, Ruled 177-192 AD
AE Sestertius, Struck 184 AD, Rome mint
Obverse: M COMMODVS ANTON AVG PIVS BRIT, laureate head right.
Reverse: VOTA SVSCEP DECEN P M TR P VIIII IMP VII, Commodus, veiled, togate, standing left, sacrificing over tripod from patera in right hand, S-C across fields, COS IIII P P below.
References: RIC III 441c
Size: 30mm, 20.0g
Note: Reverse shows emperor sacrificing over altar for the 'ten year' vows. The 'Vota suscepta decennalia' was celebrated every ten years, regardless of how long the current emperor had been in power.

It's really not "bad" but just not ideal. So I was still open and actively looking for another Commodus to replace this one and a couple days later I found it. It was "Best Offer" so I haggled a bit (cuz why not) and got it for about 15 bucks cheaper than the above one. And it appears to be relatively rare (Banti cites 1 example, found 6-7 coins in ACsearch)

Commodus, Ruled 177-192 AD
AE Sestertius, Struck 186 AD, Rome mint
Obverse: M COMMODVS ANT P FELIX AVG BRIT, laureate head right.
Reverse: LIBERTAS AVG P M TR P XI IMP VII COS V P P, Libertas, draped, standing left, holding pileus in extended right hand and rod in left hand, S-C across fields.
References: RIC III 471
Size: 29mm, 20.7g
Rare.

About a month ago, I picked up a second Septimius Severus Sestertius and said "I'm starting to get a thing for chunky Septimius Severus AEs; If i see one I gotta try to get it." Well... it happened again. . This one has more wear, but it's nice and healthy wear with still a very pleasing profile on obverse, and enough detail on the reverse to accurately attribute (there are only 2 coin examples on ACsearch, misattributed as 724 not 727).

Septimius Severus, Ruled 193-211 AD
AE Sestertius, Struck 196 AD, Rome mint
Obverse: L SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP VIII, laureate head right.
Reverse: P M TR P V COS II P P, Pax, draped, seated left, holding branch in extended right hand and sceptre in left hand; S-C across fields.
References: RIC IV 727a
Size: 29mm, 22.1g
cf: Bertolami Fine Arts, E-Auction 43 (7/9/17), Lot # 633 (Reverse die match)

And the last of the sestertii is a pretty huge and green one...


No, not him... The Incredible Hadrian! It's got some nice detail (esp for being sort of a shallow relief strike), but it's a bummer that there is the corrosion over Roma's face. But all-in-all, I'm happy to have it.

Hadrian, Ruled 117-138 AD
AE Sestertius, Struck 119-122 AD, Rome
Obverse: IMP CAESAR TRAIANVS HADRIANVS AVG, bust, laureate, draped on left shoulder, right.
Reverse: PONT MAX TR POT COS III, Roma, helmeted, in military dress, seated left on cuirass, resting left foot on helmet, holding Victory in extended right hand and vertical spear in left; round shield behind, SC below.
References: RIC II 562b
Size: 34.5mm, 25.2g
cf: CNG, E-Auction 302 (5/8/13), Lot # 368
Notes: Obverse die match with ANS example 1906.236.315

The denarius is from an emperor that they are a bit more rare than the usual names: Gordian III. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty out there, but so much fewer than getting an Ant of his (and usually a bit pricier). This one was labeled by the seller as an Ant and I was able to get it for under $20 shipped (even w/ tax)! I too has two emperors for the price of one (or half? third?).

Gordian III, Ruled 238-244 AD
AR Denarius, Struck 241-243 AD, Rome
Obverse: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Reverse: P M TR P III COS II P P, Emperor in military attire, standing right, holding transverse spear in right hand and globe in left hand.
References: RIC IV 115
Size: 20.5mm, 2.5g
Note: The last decent silver examples of this denomination.

And the last two coins are Alexandrian tetradrachms, both of Hadrian. There is nothing terribly noteworthy about them (one the condition is kinda poor, but its still cool), but they were at a good price and I didn't have any tets from him yet.

Here's what this one was supposed to look like: Example

Hadrian, Ruled 117-138 AD
BL Tetradrachm, Egypt, Alexandria
Struck 135/136 AD
Obverse: AVT KAIC TPA AΔPIANOC CЄB, laureate bust left, slight drapery.
Reverse: Nilus seated left on rocks, holding reed and cornucopia; L K (RY 20 = 135/136 AD) to left, crocodile below.
References: Emmett 879, Köln 1197, Dattari 7453
Size: 23.5mm, 12.3g

Here's what this one was supposed to look like: Example

Hadrian, Ruled 117-138 AD
BL Tetradrachm, Egypt, Alexandria
Struck 130/131 AD
Obverse: AVT KAI TPAI A∆PIA CЄB, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
Reverse: Alexandria standing right, holding vexillum and presenting grain ears to Hadrian standing left, holding scepter; L IE (RY 15 = 130/131 AD) across field.
References: Emmett 845
Size: 23.5mm, 11.2g

Thanks for hanging in there while I shared (that's half the fun of collecting, right?) and checking these out!

 

Yep! I’ll post the flip sides a bit later this week!

Yep! That one! Although it’s in rough shape and has a clear-coat of lacquer from a time when that was standard practice... it’s fun to have a coin that was probably part of some public collection with a painted-on number.

Great coins! My fav is that Gordian... a nice coin for a nice price.

 

It's S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y night ...



... and I've been cataloging and photographing some folles of the tetrarchy. Here's a couple of Constantius I ones from Antioch and Trier.


Constantius I, Caesar, 293-305.
Roman billon follis, 9.83 g, 26.3 mm, 5 h.
Antioch, AD 300-301.
Obv: FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES, laureate head right.
Rev: GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera from which liquid flows, and cornucopiae; K/B-V//ANT.
Refs: RIC vi, p. 620, 55a; Cohen 89; RCV 14069.
Notes: The K in the left field probably refers to the retariffing of the follis at 20 denarii communes, while the V in the right field may refer to the revised valuation of the follis at 5 to the silver argentius (Harl, Kenneth W. "Marks of Value on Tetrarchic Nummi and Diocletian's Monetary Policy." Phoenix, vol. 39, no. 3, 1985, pp. 263–270, citing C.H.V. Sutherland, "Denarius and Sestertius in Diocletian's Currency Reform," JRS 51 (1961), pp. 93-97).


Constantius I, Caesar, 293-305.
Roman billon follis, 9.95 g, 26.6 mm, 11 h.
Trier, AD 296-297.
Obv: CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES, laureate head right.
Rev: GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera and cornucopiae; A/Γ//TR.
Refs: RIC vi, p. 183, 213a; Cohen 61; RCV 14035.

 

Sergius Silus just landed. Excited to add this one to my collection.


“No person living, in my opinion at least, ever excelled M. Sergius, although his great-grandson, Catiline, tarnished the honours of his name. In his second campaign he lost his right hand; and in two campaigns he was wounded three and twenty times; so much so, that he could scarcely use either his hands or his feet; still, attended by a single slave, he afterwards served in many campaigns, though but an invalided soldier. He was twice taken prisoner by Hannibal, (for it was with no ordinary enemy that he would engage,) and twice did he escape from his captivity, after having been kept, without a single day's intermission, in chains and fetters for twenty months. On four occasions he fought with his left hand alone, two horses being slain under him. He had a right hand made of iron, and attached to the stump, after which he fought a battle, and raised the siege of Cremona, defended Placentia, and took twelve of the enemy's camps in Gaul. All this we learn from an oration of his, which he delivered when, in his prætorship, his colleagues attempted to exclude him from the sacred rites, on the ground of his infirmities. What heaps upon heaps of crowns would he have piled up, if he had only had other enemies! For, in matters of this nature, it is of the first importance to consider upon what times in especial the valour of each man has fallen. What civic crowns did Trebia, what did the Ticinus, what did Lake Thrasymenus afford? What crown was there to be gained at Cannæ, where it was deemed the greatest effort of valour to have escaped from the enemy? Other persons have been conquerors of men, no doubt, but Sergius conquered even Fortune herself.”

Pliny the Elder, The Natural History

 

Another Saturday night and I ain't got nobody ... but my COINS!



Still working through some of my folles of the tetrarchy:


Diocletian, AD 284-305.
Roman billon follis, 10.80 g, 23.6 mm, 7 h.
Rome, AD 302-305.
Obv: IMP C DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG, Laureate head, right.
Rev: SACRA MON VRB AVGG ET CAESS NN, Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopiae; star in right field, R P in exergue.
Refs: RIC vi, p. 362, 103a; Cohen 434; RCV 12815.


Diocletian, AD 284-305.
Roman billon follis, 8.99 g, 28.3 mm, 6 h.
Trier, AD 302-303.
Obv: IMP DIOCLETIANVS AVG, Laureate and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI, Genius, turreted, nude but for chlamys draped over left shoulder, standing left, holding patera in right hand and cornucopiae in left hand; S/F//IITR.
Refs: RIC vi, p. 196, 524a; RCV --.
Notes: Some have suggested the S F in the fields is an abbreviation for SAECVLI FELICITAS.


Maximian, 1st Reign, AD 286-305.
Roman billon follis, 10.96 g, 27.2 mm, 12 h.
Trier, AD 298-99.
Obv: IMP MAXIMIANVS P F AVG, laureate head, right.
Rev: GENIO POP-VLI ROMANI, Genius, wearing modius, nude but for chlamys draped over left shoulder, standing left, holding patera in right hand and cornucopiae in left hand; A/*//TR.
Refs: RIC vi, p. 186, 277b.
Notes: Typically, the reverse legend is broken GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI.


Licinius I, AD 308-324.
Roman billon follis, 6.10 g, 24.4 mm, 1 h.
Heraclea, AD 308-310.
Obv: IMP C VAL LIC LICINIVS P F AVG, laureate head, right.
Rev: GENIO IMP-E-RATORIS, Genius, wearing modius, nude but for chlamys draped over left shoulder, standing left, pouring liquid from patera in right hand and holding cornucopiae in left hand; •HTΓ• in exergue.
Refs: RIC vi, p. 535, 37b; Cohen 43; RCV 15171.

 

Working on this coin today Trajan Decius Ar Tetradrachm Antioch 249-251 A.D. Mc Alee 1119a This coin illustrated. Obv Bust right radiate below dot Rv. Eagle stg wings open right 11.70 grms 33 mm Photo by W. Hansen

 

Doing some long-overdue photography and digital catalogue entries for a number of coins in my Greek collection that I just hadn't gotten to before. Here are some tiny highlights from that group:


Korkyra, Korkyra, AR hemidrachm, ca. 450–400 BC. Obv: amphora; above, crescent. Rev: eight-rayed star; crescent in field. 14mm, 2.46g. Ref: BMC 76; SNG Evelpidis 1876. Ex Leu, web auction 8, lot 203.


Lycaonia, Laranda, AR obol, 324–323 BC. Obv: Baal Tars seated on throne n.l., holding grain ears and grapes in r. hand and sceptre in l. hand. Rev: forepart of wolf r., in field l., ⌒. 10mm, 0.59g. Göktürk: Small Coins from Cilicia (2000), no. 82 ff.; SNG Levante 223 (for Cilicia); SNG France 443 (for Cilicia). Ex Savoca London, Blue Auction 2, lot 341.


Mysia, Kyzikos, AR hemiobol (?), c. 480–450 BC. Obv: roaring lion’s head l.; star above. Rev: forepart of boar l.; tunny behind. 8mm, 0.25g. Ref: BMC 120; Sear Greek 3850.

 

Here are a couple lil silvers (well, close) that were delivered earlier today. Took the pictures under my nightstand lamp relaxing on the bed... Hey, it's Saturday night!

This first one I've seen many others in CT have, so why not get one for myself as well.

Lesbos, Uncertain mint
BL Obol, 500-450 BC
Obverse: Confronted boar heads.
Reverse: Four-part incuse square.
References: HGC 6, 1071
Size: 9.7mm, 1.09g

This one was listed as "Greek Fraction" so I had to do a little research but it popped up pretty quickly.

Phokaia, Ionia
AR Diobol, 521-478 BC
Obverse: Archaic head of Athena left, wearing helmet or close fitting cap.
Reverse: Quadripartite incuse punch.
References: SNG Copenhagen (Vol. 7) 389-94 (Uncertain coins of Greece and Asia Minor); SNG Kayhan 522
Size: 10.5mm, 0.98g

 

I have a fun new coin that came this week. I've always loved Alexandrian coins and big drachms are so much fun to hold... I really should to a whole thread on Alexandrian drachms for this one, and I still may.

Unfortunately most Alexandrian drachms are really worn or really expensive. This one is rare because it's nicer than most and wasn't overly expensive. I love the remaining detail and the surfaces.

Edit: The other cool thing about this coin is the temple impression under the bust on the obverse. Clashed die or double strike?


Trajan
Egypt, Alexandria
Æ Drachm (33mm, 22.98 g, 11h).
Dated RY 15 (AD 111/2).
OB: Laureate bust of Trajan, r., draped and cuirassed, seen from rear
R: Sarapis standing left, hand above stele at feet, holding scepter; all within distyle temple with Victories supporting globe in pediment; LI-E (date) across field.
Köln 591; Dattari (Savio) 1146-7; K&G 27.423; Emmett 581.15 (R3).

 

Great coins! I like the later cuirassed busts from this era. They are a bit more scarce to find!

That's a very nice coin, the obverse is very nice. The bust looks like a man trying to look confident, that isn't so confident. A great coin.

I love that wolf obol! Pictures of coins this small never do them justice as the image is so much larger than the coin in hand. Nice coins!

I have yet to venture into these little silvers but you're making me think I need some. These are older than nearly any coin that I own.

 

Here's the other side of that Constantine I Dafne coin... It's a really fun coin with lots of detail on the reverse.

Constantine I - Constantinople - RIC VII 32

 

That really is a nice coin, with lovely details. Here is mine, a little less clear on the details: